I WOULD like to applaud the Malacca government for launching the “Don’t mess with Melaka” campaign. It is a campaign against littering and combating crime and social ills. It is sad that 57 years after independence, we are still grappling with issues such as litter, dirty toilets, vandalism and petty crimes.
These problems should have been eradicated a long time ago. They impede our ability to be effective, especially as population grows and we need to live in a more crowded space.
Campaigns and slogans have failed and we should start doing things differently. Hitting offenders in their pockets can be effective. Compounds of RM5 and RM10, as proposed by the state government and to be paid on the spot, might work. It is small enough not to be a burden but substantial enough to cause people to change their bad habits. Repeat offenders should be sent for community service.
We do not want their money but rather we want them to act responsibly. I hope this will be enforced consistently across the country. Singapore embarked on a similar initiative 30 years ago, and it was a resounding success after just a few years.
Jaywalkers should also be fined. Malaysians are fond of crossing roads without using pedestrian bridges or at traffic lights, even if these are available.
Schoolchildren are imitating adults. I once saw a car almost hit a student and it happened under an overhead bridge!
Toilets are dirty when nobody is assigned to clean them or the cleaners are doing a bad job. Owners of premises should be responsible for maintenance and users for proper use, failing which they should be liable for fines.
These ills can partly be attributed to an “entitlement” mentality, in which people believe they hold higher pecking order in society, and other people are supposed to clean up after them.
It’s about time they are reminded to be responsible for their actions and the environment, and have respect for other people, too. Only then will we have a higher standard of living.
A.R.D, Petaling Jaya, Selangor